cliexa
826% Organic Growth: Building a Lead Engine from Scratch
Increased organic traffic by 826% and lead capture by 435% through comprehensive marketing technology overhaul.
Understanding the Problem
cliexa is a patient engagement platform for remote monitoring. As the first marketing hire, I found:
No existing marketing infrastructure
Minimal website traffic and zero SEO presence
No lead capture or nurturing capabilities
Limited brand awareness in target markets
Early-stage startup with constrained resources
Creative Director & Marketing Manager (First Marketing Hire)
First marketing hire at early-stage healthcare SaaS startup. Built entire marketing function from zero: brand identity, website, SEO, lead generation, content strategy, and partnership development.
Full marketing function ownership from brand strategy through execution
Marketing technology stack evaluation, selection, and implementation
Partnership development: ACC, industry conferences, co-marketing programs
Content strategy and production: website, blog, whitepapers, case studies
Award submissions and industry recognition programs
Direct collaboration with CEO on fundraising materials and investor communications
How I Solved It
SEO Foundation
- Complete technical SEO audit and optimization of site architecture
- Keyword research targeting patient engagement and remote monitoring markets
- Content strategy with blog, whitepapers, and case studies for healthcare decision-makers
- Link building through industry publications and partnership cross-promotion
Lead Generation
- Implemented HubSpot marketing automation from scratch
- Created gated content offers (whitepapers, ROI calculators) for lead capture
- Built automated nurture sequences segmented by buyer persona and funnel stage
- Developed lead scoring framework prioritizing engagement signals and firmographic fit
Brand Building & Partnerships
- Secured American College of Cardiology partnership through 8-month relationship development
- ACC Innovation Challenge finalist recognition — driving credibility with cardiology buyers
- Denver Startup of the Year finalist 2019 — boosting recruitment and investor interest
- Industry speaking opportunities and thought leadership content program
Lead Generation Engine
Built the complete marketing technology foundation from scratch at an early-stage startup with zero marketing infrastructure, optimizing for maximum impact with minimal budget.
HubSpot CRM
Marketing automation, lead scoring, and contact management
WordPress
Marketing website with custom theme optimized for SEO and conversion
Google Analytics
Traffic analysis, conversion tracking, and content performance measurement
SEMrush + Ahrefs
Keyword research, competitive analysis, and backlink monitoring
Strategic Decisions
How did you prioritize with zero budget for paid?
Focused entirely on earned channels: SEO (826% organic growth), partnership credibility (ACC), and industry recognition (awards). Each channel reinforced the others — ACC partnership drove backlinks that boosted SEO, which drove leads.
Impact & Outcomes
Technologies & Tools
Capabilities Demonstrated
Event Photos
Milestones
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The 6-Month SEO Payoff
Our first blog post took 6 months to rank, then brought 40% of our organic traffic for 2 years. SEO rewards patience more than any other channel.
Partnership ROI Is Non-Linear
The ACC partnership took 8 months to close but generated more credibility than 2 years of content marketing. Sometimes one relationship changes everything.
Constraints Force Creativity
With no budget for paid advertising, we became experts at earned media and partnerships. The constraint made us better marketers.
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